POLICY & POLITICS
Valley:
Civic and Economic Reinvention in the Heartland
Bakersfield Californian
There is a quietly growing movement brewing in the interior of America. Pretty soon it will boil over. And it’s about time somebody covered it.
Former mayor, Hall Ambulance founder Harvey Hall dies at 77
Bakersfield Californian
Hall Ambulance Service founder and former mayor Harvey Hall has died at the age of 77, according to Hall Ambulance.
KLEA withdraws Fleeman endorsement
Bakersfield Californian
The Kern Law Enforcement Association has voted to withdraw its endorsement of Senior Deputy Justin Fleeman, who is challenging three-term Sheriff Donny Youngblood in the June 5 election.
See also:
● Campaign for Stanislaus County Sheriff, already emotional, gets downright dirty Modesto Bee
● ROBERT PRICE: Drama way, way down the June 5 ballot Bakersfield Californian
Politico
Top Republicans consider amping up the pressure on Paul Ryan to step down as Speaker of the House, so they can instill Kevin McCarthy, before midterm elections.
State:
Where candidates for governor stand on California’s biggest issues
San Francisco Chronicle
Where the candidates for governor in the June 5 primary stand on California’s biggest issues.
See also:
● As California's homelessness grows, the crisis emerges as a major issue in state's gubernatorial race CNBC
● California Election 2018: Updates and Analysis CALmatters
● California GOP has a lot riding on 2 candidates for governor San Francisco Chronicle
● Democratic dread: Party tries to keep California’s odd election rules from denying them the U.S. House CALmatters
● California Election 2018: Updates and Analysis CALmatters
Donald Trump endorses John Cox for California governor
The Fresno Bee
"California finally deserves a great Governor, one who understands borders, crime and lowering taxes. John Cox is the man - he’ll be the best Governor you’ve ever had," Trump wrote Friday on Twitter.
See also:
● California GOP has a lot riding on 2 candidates for governor San Francisco Chronicle
● Trump endorses Republican John Cox for California governor Los Angeles Times
California's top-two primary could be rendered useless thanks to a hyper-polarized electorate
Los Angeles Times
On paper, California's "top two" open primary made sense: When one political party dominated an election, the weaker party could support a consolation moderate.
California Politics Podcast: Taking stock of the primary election's most meaningful TV ads
Los Angeles Times
The campaign money in some of California’s most talked-about races during this statewide primary is being spent on television ads that could be a game changer.
2018 Midterms: A Test Run for Harris 2020 Presidential Bid?
NBC Los Angeles
Kamala Harris and other Democrats who could run for president in 2020 have been making the rounds ahead of the 2018 midterm elections.
See also:
● 2018 midterms: An early heat for 2020 Democrats? -- The leading players AP
Running Uphill: The Challenge of Unseating Dianne Feinstein
New York Times
Kevin de León is one of the most prominent Democratic figures in the nation’s most Democratic state. He has drawn national attention from the Democratic left for a spirited challenge to Senator Dianne Feinstein and for the aggressive legislative challenges to President Trump’s policies advanced by the State Senate under his leadership.
Sierra Sun Times
League of CA Cities, SEIU California, AFSCME CA, CA Professional Firefighters and PORAC leading the charge to defeat it.
Next step for California in sports betting debate: Cash in
The San Diego Union-Tribune
Take the money, California. Take it because someone, somewhere absolutely will. Take it because sports wagering already is happening — in the shadows, unregulated and untaxed.
Workbook: Public Absentee Voter Analysis (Extract)
Political Data Inc.
CA 2018 Primary AV Tracker
Legislating Censorship in California
National Review
A bill in the state assembly would restrict access to information on marriage and human sexuality.
Federal:
Mercury News
The Trump administration on Friday named Mike Stoker, a Santa Barbara County attorney and former oil company spokesman who some credit with coining the “lock her up!” chants against Hillary Clinton at the Republican Convention in 2016, as the new West Coast head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
See also:
● Man who coined 'lock her up' chant to lead EPA's Pacific Southwest office The Hill
● Amid ethics scrutiny, EPA’s Pruitt also finds his regulatory rollbacks hitting bumps Washington Post
● Long Before Scott Pruitt, EPA Colluded with Industry salon
● Critics and Supporters Of EPA's Transparent Science Proposal: File Comments On It, But Read It First Forbes
● Trump’s latest outrageous appointee: A judge who wants to shut down the EPA salon
Trump personally pushed postmaster general to double rates on Amazon, other firms
The Washington Post
President Trump has personally pushed U.S. Postmaster General Megan Brennan to double the rate the Postal Service charges Amazon.com and other firms to ship packages, according to three people familiar with their conversations, a dramatic move that probably would cost these companies billions of dollars.
Washington Post
The rapid move by the Justice Department comes as officials hope to avert a larger showdown over a confidential source.
Staffer Survey: Getting Substantive Things Done in an Election Year
Roll Call
How the midterms affect congressional offices
Watch: Hire Many Interns and More Tips for Making the Capitol More Inclusive
Roll Call
Heard on the Hill reporter Alex Gangitano talked to two Capitol Hill leaders who are fostering a diverse workplace about what other offices can do to increase diversity.
Other:
Get a text ad from a candidate? Invasive, maybe, but it works, say experts
Sacramento Bee
Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert is taking to texts to get her message out in her bid for re-election in June.
How misinformation spreads on social media—And what to do about it
Brookings
“We take misinformation seriously,” Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg wrote just weeks after the 2016 election. In the year since, the question of how to counteract the damage done by “fake news” has become a pressing issue both for technology companies and governments across the globe.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
Tulare mayor criticizes farmers on Facebook, farmers angry
The Fresno Bee
Tulare Mayor Carlton Jones is facing the wrath of the farming community after saying on social media that agriculture is damaging to the environment and public health.
See also:
● Tulare mayor ready to debate farmers over ag effects Visalia Times-Delta
Congressional Farm Bill Fails In The House, And Californians Have Mixed Feelings About It
Capradio.org
The House of Representatives failed to pass a farm bill on Friday. The reason it died: Lawmakers voted against targeted cuts to safety net program like food stamps. But those that work with low-income residents who use these programs had mixed feelings about the bill’s failure.
See also:
● Republicans claw at each other over farm bill implosion Politico
● Farm Bill Fails: House Freedom Caucus Joins Democrats in Opposition National Review
● Republican Divide, Mistrust Dooms Farm Bill in House Roll Call
● Farm Bill’s Defeat Marks Setback for Paul Ryan WSJ
● EDITORIAL: Tougher work rules for food stamps won’t help poor people — or save much money Los Angeles Times
USDA Unveils Prototypes For GMO Food Labels, And They're... Confusing
NPR
Foods that contains genetically modified ingredients will soon have a special label. This is the product of a decades-long fight between anti-GMO campaigners and Big Agriculture companies, which left neither side completely satisfied, as NPR has reported.
California Cattle Council on The Horizon
Ag Net West
The creation of a California Cattle Council could be on the way as Senate Bill 965 continues to make progress thrrough the legislative system in California.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Los Angeles Times
Around 7:30 a.m., authorities said, a 17-year-old junior named Dimitrios Pagourtzis, armed with a shotgun and a .38-caliber revolver he'd taken from his father, opened fire, killing 10 people — mostly students — and wounding 10 others at Santa Fe High School, which is about 35 miles southeast of downtown Houston.
See also:
● Would You Ever Agree to Be a Teenager Again? National Review
● Another American School Is Devastated by Gun Violence Education Week
● There are ways to make schools safer and teachers stronger—but they don’t involve guns Brookings
● It’s the Guns The Atlantic
Sen. Kamala Harris Says California Should Test DNA Of Condemned Inmate
Capradio.org
California's governor should allow more sensitive DNA testing that advocates say could exonerate a death row inmate, U.S. Senator Kamala Harris said Friday.
See also:
● Senator Kamala Harris Cosponsors Landmark Bill to End Federal Prohibition of Marijuana Sierra Sun Times
Public Safety:
Walters: Prison inmates are down, but costs still going up
CALmatters
When Jerry Brown’s first governorship began in 1975, California had about 20,000 men and women behind bars in its prison system, but that number would increase more than eight-fold.
Fire:
Police video from California fires shows harrowing escapes
WTOP
Chaotic police body-camera footage from last year’s deadly wildfires in Northern California’s wine country shows officers running door-to-door urging people to flee and rescuing elderly residents of a retirement community as flames bear down, according to a newspaper report Sunday.
Poll: Most Sonoma County residents didn’t get official fire warnings
Santa Rosa Press Democrat
Few Sonoma County residents received official alerts telling them about the approaching October firestorm and many received no advance warning at all, according to The Press Democrat Poll.
ECONOMY / JOBS
Economy:
EDITORIAL: Jerry Brown wants to save budget surplus, but we shouldn’t scrimp on these needs
Sacramento Bee
Gov. Jerry Brown, frugal to the end, wants to fill the state’s “rainy day” fund so California doesn’t get soaked in the next economic downturn. But for too many Californians, hardship is pouring down right now.
Opinion: California's Economy Earns Bragging Rights, But Challenges Remain
Times of San Diego
California is in a bragging mode this month because the state’s economy has climbed in global rankings to 5th place behind only the United States as whole, China, Japan and Germany.
Is The California Dream Dying? Another Family Calls it Quits on the Golden State
KQED
It’s 65 degrees and sunny on a Saturday afternoon in the trendy Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles. Many families are enjoying walks in Griffith Park, or eating lunch at outdoor cafés. But not Anna and Evan Colby. They're packing up their apartment in a mad dash to move to Lansing, Michigan.
See also:
● Universal basic income would undermine the success of our safety net AEI
● Almost half of US families can't afford basics like rent and food CNN
Do States Need Their Own Trade Policies?
RAND
Now would not be the first time California's business and trade interests haven't aligned with those of Washington.
Split in Goods and Services Inflation Underscores Fed’s Challenge
WSJ
Inflation has been a puzzle in the U.S. economy for years, failing to move up much when the unemployment rate tumbled.
Jobs:
Summer Jobs are Ripe for the Picking
Bakersfield Californian
The job market looks relatively strong — Kern's unemployment rate dropped to a five-month low of 8.3 percent in April — and there appears to be a lot of options.
California gains more than 39,000 jobs; unemployment falls to record low
Los Angeles Times
The California economy rebounded from a disappointing March and added 39,300 net new jobs last month, as the unemployment rate fell to a new record low of 4.2%, according to data released Friday by the state Employment Development Department.
See also:
● Kern joblessness fell sharply in April as farm work ramped up Bakersfield Californian
● California Employment Report for April 2018 California Business Roundtable
California can help those in need — if it would just let them work
The Hill
If we want to give the neediest in our society a path to self-sufficiency, we must give them a path to employment. Yet, a bill before the California legislature — which would have done just that — died in committee on a party-line vote.
G.O.P. Insists Making Poor People Work Lifts Them Up. Where’s the Proof?
The New York Times
There’s something almost eerie about the unwavering nature of the Republican system of belief.
Supreme Court rules that companies can require workers to accept individual arbitration
The Washington Post
The Supreme Court ruled 5 to 4 Monday that companies may require workers to accept individual arbitration for wage and other workplace disputes rather than banding together in collective actions.
EDUCATION
K-12:
Los Angeles Times
California voters have seen a barrage of sunny television ads in recent weeks touting former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's record on finances, crime and education, aired by Families & Teachers for Antonio Villaraigosa for Governor 2018. But the group is, in fact, largely funded by a handful of wealthy charter school supporters.
Merced high school district holds special meeting on sexual harassment claims
Merced Sun
After a marathon closed session at a special meeting of the Merced Union High School District this week, the board announced plans to improve how the district handles sexual harassment complaints following allegations by a decorated teacher and two students.
Mock interview program readies students for the real world
San Jose Mercury News
Independence High School teacher’s project sharpens seniors for post-graduate life.
California lacks system to track students through high school, college and workplace
EdSource
As students from Sacramento City Unified School District start applying to college this fall, Superintendent Jorge Aguilar will know a lot about where they ended up enrolling and eventually whether they graduated.
Innovative high school for new immigrant students a model in California
EdSource
Oakland International High was the first of its kind in California when it opened in 2007, is one of 27 public schools or academies across the country that are part of the Internationals Network for Public Schools, which serve new immigrants — students who have recently come to the United States.
Educational ‘innovation’ is only as good as the execution
AEI
Instead of seeking an “innovator” or a “change agent” when selecting a new schools chief, focus on how candidates plan to pursue their big ideas. Execution is the key to meaningful implementation. An undue focus on how things will actually work is often treated with eye rolls by those who see themselves as visionaries.
Higher Ed:
DACA recipient's journey to graduation at Fresno State
ABC30
Fresno State student Nancy Barragan is so close to graduation. The public relations major worked tirelessly and then some to get to this point. Six sashes and a cord decorate her gown, along with the perfect accessory, dedicated to her parent's sacrifices.
A bar too high? Pass rate plummets to record low for California lawyer exam
Sacramento Bee
Only a quarter of applicants passed the California bar exam in its most recent sitting, the State Bar of California announced this week, a record low for the test that lawyers must successfully complete to practice in the state.
Guaranteeing Transfer Admission to the University of California
Public Policy Institute of California
The University of California now guarantees admission to qualified community college students, but steps still need to be taken to improve transfer enrollment.
UC to defend DACA at U.S. Court of Appeals
UC Newsroom
The University of California will defend an injunction that has enabled 55,000 immigrants brought to the U.S. as children to renew protections through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, despite Trump administration efforts to rescind the program earlier this year.
All California Community College Campuses Are Now Smoke-Free
CBS Sacramento
The Board of Governors approved a resolution on Monday to make its 114 schools 100% smoke and tobacco-free.
Apprenticeships:
Sierra Sun Times
“Apprenticeship programs provide workers with paid on-the-job training that can lead to good-paying careers and supply employers with skilled workers.” said Secretary Lanier.
ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY
Environment:
PublicCEO
Legal Decisions and Pending Guideline Updates Have Effect on the CEQA Review Process
EPA to clean topsoil of Lincoln homes near smelting plant
Modesto Bee
The Environmental Protection Agency is providing new topsoil to about 15 homes near a former smelting plant in Lincoln this spring. Neighboring properties to Lincoln's old Northwestern Metal Co. smelting plant were tested after smelting plants were discovered to be potential pollution sites.
Air officials enthusiastic about winter air quality improvement — with a caveat
The Bakersfield Californian
The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District is declaring its 2017-18 wintertime clean-air efforts a success, despite a troublesome December, according to a report to the district's governing board.
Los Angeles Times
When a state regulatory body decrees that all new homes must have rooftop solar starting in 2020, my temperature rises.
Will Trump's pick to run the EPA office in San Francisco show up for work?
Los Angeles Times
The White House has finally found someone to take on the stress of overseeing President Trump's fossil fuel-friendly environmental agenda in the heart of hostile territory: California and nearby states.
Auto mileage and emissions: Will Washington and California be negotiating?
CALmatters
Between Sacramento and Washington D.C. sits the rest of the country, and a chasm. On immigration and taxes, guns and healthcare, cannabis and climate change, California is the federal government’s equal and opposite reaction.
Climatologists bet on El Nino, warm months ahead
Capital Press
The odds now strongly favor an El Nino forming in the Pacific Ocean, federal climatologists said Thursday, tilting the long-range weather outlook toward a warm 2018-19 winter in the Northwest.
A 78-foot wave was recorded near New Zealand — and it's barreling toward the Central Coast
The Tribune
The first waves (forecast forerunners) from this Southern Hemisphere storm will travel about 7,500 miles across the Pacific and will start to arrive along Central Coast from the south Monday and increase in height Tuesday into Wednesday, and here’s why.
Here Are The Most Endangered Animals In California
Patch
In California, the two most threatened animals are the Riparian brush rabbit and the Buena Vista Lake Ornate Shrew, according to the report released Wednesday by 24/7 Wall St.
Party polarization on environmental issues
Niskanen Center
In American politics, a growing partisan divide on the environment is making environmental reforms seem further out of reach.
Energy:
The clean-energy home of the future ... outside Fresno
San Francisco Chronicle
Starting in 2020, California officials want all new houses built in the state to generate their own solar power during the day and sip electricity at night, their energy use cut by highly efficient insulation. Brandon De Young figures he has that deadline beat by more than a year.
Los Angeles Times
When a state regulatory body decrees that all new homes must have rooftop solar starting in 2020, my temperature rises. Big Brother is intruding too deeply into my personal life, I'm thinking. Shouldn't it be my call alone whether to invest in solar panels, perhaps incentivized by state tax credits or rebates?
California’s solar rooftop mandate doesn’t make economic sense
San Francisco Chronicle
This unprecedented mandate will not reduce carbon emissions significantly because California electricity generation is powered primarily by natural gas, which produces less carbon than cars. Transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gases in California, producing more than twice as much as electricity generation.
See also:
● Why California’s new rooftop mandate isn’t good enough for some solar power enthusiasts WTOP
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
May is National High Blood Pressure Education Month!
Bakersfield Californian
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 1 in 3 U.S. adults have hypertension.
Opinion: Trump’s Drug Pricing Plan Is Practical, but Is It Enough?
Roll Call
The blueprint Donald Trump released earlier this month is practical, focused squarely on executive actions that will force drug companies toward greater transparency. But will the White House’s pragmatism be enough?
See also:
● Is the drug industry curing its own headache? AEI
Krugman: America’s Dismal Turning Point
The New York Times
Austin Frakt had a very interesting piece in the Upshot the other day, on U.S. health spending – and U.S. health — in international perspective. Everyone knows that U.S. spending is more or less literally off the charts compared with everyone else, while many are aware that we have also diverged, in the wrong direction, on measures like life expectancy: we’re falling further than further behind the rest of the advanced world.
Shaped by AIDS crisis, Covered California’s leader champions health access
San Francisco Chronicle
In the 1980s, Peter Lee headed for the front lines of the HIV/AIDS crisis. In Washington, D.C., the Pasadena native helped organize rallies in front of the White House to protest the Reagan administration’s tepid response to the epidemic.
Babies stillborn because of syphilis
CALMatters
Thirty babies were stillborn in California in 2017 because their mothers passed syphilis to them. Another 248 babies were born with the disease, the California Department of Public Health reports.
RAND
Adolescents who view more advertising for medical marijuana are more likely to use marijuana, express intentions to use the drug and have more-positive expectations about the substance, according to a new RAND Corporation study.
Human Services:
California lawsuit to protect abortion services suggested
Sacramento Bee
California's top cop hinted last week that the state will file another lawsuit against the federal government, potentially taking on the Trump administration over its plan to strip funding for Planned Parenthood and other clinics that provide abortions.
See also:
● Defunding Planned Parenthood: Donald Trump’s Good Start National Review
● Clinics That Provide On-Site Abortions Stand to Lose Millions Under New Plan Wall Street Journal
California court opens world of uncertainty for the dying
San Jose Mercury News
With so many fears and so little time, cancer patient Matt Fairchild now faces a new anxiety: When life’s too miserable, can he get help ending it? Before this week’s court ruling tossed out California’s right-to-die law, “I didn’t have to think about suffering,” said Fairchild, 48, a retired Army sergeant with incurable melanoma. “Now it’s one more thing on my daily list to have to worry about.”
EDITORIAL: The unconscionable backlog of unprocessed rape kits in California
Los Angeles Times
Women reporting a rape are often encouraged to undergo a grueling and invasive examination to collect DNA and other physical evidence.
IMMIGRATION
GOP Rep. Jeff Denham: It's time to force a vote on DACA
Los Angeles Times
Until a few weeks ago, "Queen of the Hill" meant little to anyone. But today, this little-known House rule may be Congress' best shot at improving our border security and resolving issues with the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.
See also:
● New Poll: Jeff Denham’s Hispanic Constituents Don’t Want His Amnesty National Review
● Ryan and McCarthy split on Dreamers Politico
● Republican chaos on immigration shows issue’s risks for GOP PBS NewsHour
Los Angeles Times
Only 6% of likely voters in a PPIC poll saw illegal immigration as the biggest issue. Five times as many said it was jobs and the economy. More than a dozen California Republicans suggested otherwise when they sounded the alarm on illegal immigration last week with President Trump.
California rebukes Trump with health care push for immigrants
Politico
California is poised to become the first state in the nation to offer full health coverage to undocumented adults even as the Trump administration intensifies its crackdown by separating families at the border.
See also:
● A clash between California GOP on the DACA vote deepens a rift over Trump policies Center for Public Integrity
● California's illegal immigration fight is back, and so are the political pitfalls for Republicans Los Angeles Times
● How The Trump Administration's 'Zero Tolerance' Immigration Policy Is Playing Out In California NPR
● California’s fight against Trump on immigration is far from over. These cities are a perfect example. Desert Sun
● Fact-checking Donald Trump’s misleading immigration claims in meeting with California officials PolitiFact
● California’s ‘Sanctuary’ Laws Aren’t Pro-Immigrant—and Local Leaders Are Pushing Back White House
● Trump's 'Animals' Remark Comes Amid Lawsuit Against California Immigration Policies NPR
● Trump anti-sanctuary meeting was just bad political theater The Hill
U.S. immigration levels continue to fuel most community demographic gains
Brookings
In endorsing a newly proposed bill, President Trump claims that legal immigration levels should be cut in half and that greater priority should be placed on those with high skills. Both of these claims fly in the face of census statistics that show that current immigration levels are increasingly vital to the growth of much of America, and that recent arrivals are more highly skilled than ever before.
Asylum seekers have flooded into Canada. The government is putting them to work
Washington Post
So Canadian policymakers are bolstering one tactic to ease the burden: They’re integrating refugee claimants as quickly as possible into the job market.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
Give Fresno's parks a vote of approval
The Fresno Bee
The health of a community has much more to do with policies and opportunities than it does with doctors and clinics. To be very clear, our health care professionals play a vital role in the prosperity and success of our city.
Opinion: Young Americans Need to Be Prepared to Lead Next Infrastructure Revolution
Roll Call
Millions of young Americans need to be prepared to fill the high-skilled, high-paying jobs that will power the nation’s next infrastructure revolution.
Housing:
What half a million buys you around California (and how it shapes where we move)
89.3 KPCC
The median price of a California single family home is now well over half a million dollars. That’s more than double what the average house costs in the rest of the U.S.
Opinion: Don’t believe the doomsday scenarios on our housing needs
OC Register
The projected housing gap is based on what California will need to bring its housing units per capita in line with that of New York or New Jersey. But why compare California with those states or, for that matter, any other state?
Kaiser will put $200 million toward affordable housing, homelessness
San Francisco Chronicles
Oakland-based Kaiser Permanente said Friday it will invest $200 million in the coming years in programs to grow affordable housing and mitigate homelessness in Bay Area cities and other locations where the health system operates.
See also:
● A Healthcare Giant Enters the Battle for Cheaper Housing City Lab
If it's a homeless emergency, why don't we provide shelter?
Crosscut
We call upon the Board of Health — and county and city leaders throughout King County — to declare unsheltered homelessness as a public health disaster, and to create temporary disaster shelter infrastructure for all unsheltered people in King County.
See also:
● Homeless and Housed Clash in California Legal Solutions
● How I Caused California’s Housing Crisis Bloomberg
PUBLIC FINANCES
Trump's plan to claw back spending hits wall in Congress
TheHill
GOP leaders insist they are open to Trump's proposal, which comes after Republicans faced a backlash for passing a mammoth, $1.3 trillion spending omnibus that shredded federal budget caps. But despite the GOP's broad desire to cut spending, it appears increasingly unlikely that the legislation will reach Trump's desk, with Republicans in both chambers expressing opposition.
See also”
● Trump May Be The Most Fiscally Reckless President In American History Forbes
CBO estimates imply that TCJA will boost incomes for foreign investors but not for Americans
Brookings
At first glance, recent estimates from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) appear to support that argument. But the CBO analysis includes a subtle, yet extremely important difference: Foreign investors will end up receiving much of the gains and the net income available to Americans will rise barely, if at all.
U.S. Government Bonds Pay More Than Debt From Other Developed Nations
Wall Street Journal
U.S. government bonds are paying more than debt from other developed countries for the first time in almost two decades, a new sign of investors’ struggle to reconcile expectations for faster U.S. growth with concerns about the impact of deficits and inflation
California lags other high-tax states on state and local deduction workaround
Los Angeles Times
New York, New Jersey and Connecticut have already passed bills intending to circumvent the new $10,000 limit on the federal tax deduction for state and local taxes. California, which has the highest state income tax rate in the nation, hasn’t passed any workaround bills, although two are making their way through the Legislature.
GOP pours cash into bid to repeal California gas tax hike – and save House majority
Fox News
A campaign to repeal California's gas tax hike could be Republicans' golden ticket to save the Golden State -- and the U.S. House -- from a Democratic wave.
See also:
● Higher gas prices could spoil Trump's tax cuts CNN
Would You Believe? GOP Bill Would Raise Tax Revenue—Democrats Say No
Fox & Hounds
The bill was Sen. Pat Bates’ SB 1237. The bill’s intent was to clear up legislative created ambiguity when a change of ownership of commercial property triggers a reassessment of that property for tax purposes.
Nepotism at California tax department under review
The Sacramento Bee
A California tax department where almost a third of managers are related to another employee is unwinding nepotistic chains of supervision six months after a state audit revealed a problematic concentration of personal relationships among staff.
CalPERS bringing private equity in-house
Sacramento Business Journal
CalPERS' move to create its own private equity investment vehicle is the latest step in its transition away from hiring outside money managers, as the pension fund looks to cut down its expenses on commissions and fees.
TRANSPORTATION
Legislation Would Require Airlines, Commuter Rail Lines, Buses To Adopt Anti-harassment Rules
Los Angeles Times
A new policy could allow the airlines and transportation companies to permanently ban any passengers who commit sexual assault or harassment on that transportation line, according to the legislation introduced Thursday. It was co-sponsored by 26 other Democratic lawmakers and supported by several employee unions.
Higher gas prices won't deter record number of Californians from traveling for Memorial Day
Los Angeles Times
Gas prices are up statewide, but that is not deterring Californians from planning to travel in record numbers during the upcoming Memorial Day holiday.
See also:
● Iran fears send US oil above $70 for first time since 2014 CNN
● California Transportation Commission Approves Gas Tax Funding, ATP Guidelines Streetsblog Cal
Board Approves California Bullet Train's 2018 Business Plan
NBC Bay Area
The board tasked with overseeing California's ambitious high-speed rail project approved a new business plan Tuesday and pledged to keep pushing forward even as the plan faces stark financial challenges.
Are Pres. Trump’s Immigration Policies Making California Roads Less Safe?
CBS Sacramento
A recent Stanford study shows drivers in this country illegally who pass a driving test every five years, and carry proof of insurance are less likely to run from the scene of a traffic accident.
WATER
A sensible way to keep struggling water systems afloat in California
Sacramento Bee
We all can agree every Californian should have access to safe drinking water. But too many — nearly 800,000 people — do not. We can take an important step toward fixing this important health and safety problem by empowering newly created local agencies to supply clean and safe drinking water.
California Congressman seeks to bar Delta tunnels lawsuits
The Sacramento Bee
With the California Delta tunnels proposal facing an uncertain future, one of the state's Republican congressmen has come up with a way to help the multibillion water project, known formally as California WaterFix, reach completion: ban environmental lawsuits.
See also:
● A Washington bomb set to go off in California's delta tunnels water war Los Angeles Times
● This zombie dam project underscores California's dilemma over water Los Angeles Times
City has no plans to reinstate watering restrictions heading into summer
Bakersfield Californian
Although Bakersfield is moving into the summer months following a winter season of below-normal rainfall, the city has no plans to bring back restrictions.
See also:
● Shorter showers don’t conserve that much water The California Aggie
California moves closer to crafting specific water caps for urban districts
Los Angeles Times
California cities and towns may find themselves on a water budget in the next decade under a pair of bills approved Thursday by the legislature. The measures follow Gov. Jerry Brown's call to make water conservation a permanent way of life in a state long accustomed to jewel-green lawns and suburban tracts studded with swimming pools.
Toxic Wastewater From Oil Fields Endangers California’s Water Supply, Scientists Tell NBC Bay Area
NBC
The practice of dumping wastewater from the recovery of oil into unlined, open pits is one that has been banned in nearly every other state in the U.S. But here in California, oil companies can legally dump toxic waste onto the bare ground - into what are called “percolation ponds.”
Five Things to Know About Water Bonds on Upcoming California Ballots
News Deeply
California voters will be confronted with two multibillion-dollar propositions this year dealing with water, one on the June 5 ballot and another on the November 6 ballot. While the bond measures overlap somewhat, they also have important differences.
“Xtra”
Registration open for Shaver Lake Youth Fishing Derby June 9
Sierra Star
Registration is open for the 24th annual free Youth Fishing Derby at Shaver Lake to be held Saturday, June 9.
Herb Alpert Still Striving For Artistic Perfection, Ahead Of Bakersfield Concert
Valley Public Radio
Even if he didn't sell 72 million recordings, with 15 gold albums, and five number one hits - Herb Alpert would still be a music industry icon.
History comes alive at Kern County Museum's birthday celebration
Bakersfield Californian
It's been 77 years since the birth of the Kern County Museum and history was alive and kicking at this Sunday's birthday celebration. To mark the occasion, the museum turned on its living history charm and offered interactive learning stations and crafts for kids and adults to experience what life was like in early Bakersfield.